An Ambitious Undertaking
One of the most ambitious stormwater master planning efforts ever attempted by an owner of airport and marine facilities, the comprehensive project covers 6,000 acres of Port of Portland property. The program required stormwater planning for nine diverse Portland-area facilities, including PDX, four marine terminals and four industrial facilities.
A Foundation for the Future
Flexing our investigative skills, we began by delving into the Port’s information database, exploring regulatory requirements, future compliance issues, GIS data and past construction plans. This supporting work ultimately resulted in five principal work products—Stormwater Master Plans, Regulatory Compliance and Strategy Plans, Stormwater Asset Management Plans, Stormwater Models and a Stormwater Design Standards Manual—that formed the foundation for the Port’s future efforts.
Promoting Sustainability
Sustainability and green infrastructure were also taken into consideration as part of the master planning effort, with Gresham Smith evaluating a wide range of water quality and quantity best management practices (BMPs) with green components for possible use in future stormwater development.
A Winning Alliance
Establishing a true partnership with the client was a vital element in the project’s execution and in the Port’s improved process for managing stormwater in the future. It allowed our team to work closely with various Port departments, facilities and tenants, as well as external entities. It also set the stage for ongoing collaboration between the Port and Gresham Smith to support decision-making on stormwater regulations, stormwater model use and the implementation of stormwater management measures.
Effective and Targeted
Setting the standard for a variety of projects over the next 20 years, Gresham Smith’s Integrated Stormwater Master Plan equips the Port of Portland with effective, targeted plans for long-term stormwater management that are now an integral part of their planning, operational, maintenance and project implementation process. The principal work products will reduce the client’s future safety and operational risks, provide specific information for the long-term capital planning process, and instill confidence that innumerable applicable regulations will be met in the foreseeable future.